Thomas Nelson Books, May 3, 2016.
Three Stars
There Will Be Stars is a quirky southern gothic with a rather slow pace. The novel shares
it’s setting of Mattingly with several other books by Coffey – each can be read
on its own, but many of the same characters pop up throughout the novels. This
novel focuses on Bobby, a man who is unlikely to reach old age due to his heavy
drinking. Although he is aware of his dangerous behavior, he still takes his
young twin sons out for a drive late at night, drinking a six-pack of beers
along the way. Bobby’s truck goes off the road, swerving to avoid another
vehicle – Bobby’s last thought is “there will be stars.”
With Bobby’s final conscious thought, he is expecting
death and nothingness, but instead he awakens to the dawn of the day he has
just lived – and must re-live over and over again. He is not alone in this
purgatory, but instead he shares it with six other people, all of whom are repeatedly
experiencing their own final days. Many of them are resigned to their fate,
complacent and even somewhat content – they have formed a little family in this
other world. Bobby, however, thinks he can change the results of his final day,
although it continues to have the same ending.
Although at first the odd collection of people seem
to be working together to make the best of their situation, not all is as it
seems – some of the group are actually dangerous, concealing dark secrets. As
their fragile world begins to fall apart, Bobby tries to escape with some
others, and none of them are sure whether they are in heaven or hell.
The alternate world has an ethereal feel, emphasized
by its Christian themes of purgatory, punishment and rebirth, as well as its
exploration of the human condition. Bobby especially is seeking to understand
his role in the world, which is called “The Turn” – he is the catalyst for
change in this other place, although he doesn’t understand why. The horrifying details
of how each person ended up there bring some darkness to the novel, keeping it
from being too preachy or cute.
The novel is unique because it encompasses so many
different genres, although it is most of all a suspenseful spiritual fantasy.
It is an interesting concept, but I found it really hard to get into, and found
myself confused most of the time – it probably deserves a re-read to catch all
the details. I think this book is best treated as a philosophical think-piece,
as it meandered through questions of life and death. Regardless of my
confusion, I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know how it ended, and I’m
glad I stuck it out for Bobby’s final moments.
I received this novel from Thomas Nelson Books and
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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